Paolo Silvestri, critical edition of L. Einaudi, “On Abstract and Historical Hypotheses and on Value Judgments in Economic Sciences”

“On Abstract and Historical Hypotheses and on Value Judgments in Economic Sciences”
Critical Edition, with an Introduction and Afterword by Paolo Silvestri
By Luigi Einaudi
Edited by Paolo Silvestri
© 2017 – Routledge
156 pages

Luigi Einaudi (1874-1961) was a leading liberal economist, economic historian and political figure. This book provides the English-speaking world with a first critical edition of Einaudi’s – hitherto unpublished – rewriting of one of his most unique and thoughtful essays.

The relevance of this essay is crucial from several perspectives: history and methodology of economic thought, role of economics and its relation to other disciplines and to social values, role of economists in the public sphere, while also encompassing the discourse on man and the economist as a “whole man”. The critical edition of On Abstract and Historical Hypotheses and on Value Judgments in Economic Sciences includes a comprehensive introduction and afterword. An extensive reappraisal of this newly discovered essay will help to cast light on Einaudi’s uniqueness and originality within and beyond the Italian tradition in public finance, thereby also illuminating his attempt to provide an epistemological account of his long lasting enquiry into the causes of good and bad polities.

This book is of great interest to those who study economic theory and philosophy, as well as history of economic thought, public economics and legal and political philosophy.

Table of contents

Preface

The defence of economic science and the issue of value judgments

Luigi Einaudi, On Abstract and Historical Hypotheses and on Value Judgments in Economic Sciences

I. Abstract hypotheses and historical hypotheses

II. On some abstract hypotheses concerning the state and on their historical value

III. On value judgements in economic sciences

Bibliographical note

Freedom and taxation between good and bad polity, and the economist-whole-man

Luigi Einaudi (1874–1961) was a leading liberal economist, journalist, economic historian, one of the major representatives of the Italian tradition in public finance and political figure: Governor of the Bank of Italy, Minister for the Budget and President of the Italian Republic.

Paolo Silvestri is Research Fellow in Economics at the Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin. He is also Habilitated Associate Professor both in Philosophy of Law and Political Philosophy.